1538 AD; Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy): Integrating Textural and CSD Results from Experimental and Natural Trachy-Phonolites
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Bull Volcanol (2016) 78: 72 DOI 10.1007/s00445-016-1062-z RESEARCH ARTICLE Constraining pre-eruptive magma conditions and unrest timescales during the Monte Nuovo eruption (1538 AD; Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy): integrating textural and CSD results from experimental and natural trachy-phonolites Fabio Arzilli1,2 & Monica Piochi3 & Angela Mormone3 & Claudia Agostini2 & Michael R. Carroll2 Received: 10 December 2015 /Accepted: 3 September 2016 /Published online: 24 September 2016 # The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract We present crystallization experiments representing The crystallization time of the magma requires that it ascended a broad range of growth conditions of alkali feldspar and so- from pre-eruptive storage to the quenching level in several dalite in a trachy-phonolite magma composition during later hours to a few days. We also observe that a small decrease stages of evolution. Our results include (i) textural data and in pressure can induce a dramatic increase in crystallinity, with mineral assemblages of synthetic samples; (ii) feldspar nucle- associated rheological changes, leading to changes in the ation kinetics and growth rate estimates; and (iii) textural data, eruption style, and such changes could occur on timescales mineral abundances, and crystal size distribution measure- of hours to several days. The products from the later phases ments on samples representative of the Monte Nuovo eruption of the Monte Nuovo eruption are more crystalline and contain (1538 AD), the last eruption of Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy. sodalite in response to the decrease in magma ascent rate, Experiments reproduced the texture and feldspar content of whichinturnallowedformoredegassingduringascent, natural products indicating that kinetic data can provide in- resulting in more time spent at very shallow depths. sights into processes within the volcanic system shortly before and during this small-magnitude eruption and, particularly, Keywords Alkali feldspars . Trachytic melts . Crystallization about magma ascent timescale. We suggest that the ground- kinetics . CSD . Monte Nuovo . Campi Flegrei mass crystallization of Monte Nuovo magma started between 4 and 7 km depth (∼100–200 MPa) at a temperature between 825 and 840 °C (close to the liquidus of alkali feldspar). The Introduction crystallization kinetics of alkali feldspar and the absence of sodalite in most of the natural samples indicate that magma The aim of the study ascent rate increased in the shallow part of the conduit from about 3 km depth to the quenching level (possibly fragmenta- Alkali feldspar is an abundant phase in evolved alkaline rocks ∼ tion point; 30 MPa), during the first phases of the eruption. (phonolites, trachytes) and is widespread in Campania Province magmas (e.g., Piochi et al. 2005). Its occurrence as Editorial responsibility: P. Wallace microlites in pumice and scoria provides potential information on the timescale of magma migration within the crust, specif- * Fabio Arzilli ically from the magma chamber to the fragmentation level [email protected] (Marsh 1988; Cashman and Marsh 1988;Marsh1998). This information may be unraveled by studying the size distribu- 1 School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of tion of microlites pre- and syn-eruptively crystallized and Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK quenched in the matrix of juvenile magma fragments. The 2 School of Science and Technology–Geology Division, University of crystals present in an igneous rock and the observed variations Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy in both their composition and texture reflect the integrated 3 Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, sezione Osservatorio pressure (P)–temperature (T)–composition (X)–time (t)histo- Vesuviano, Via Diocleziano 328, 80124 Naples, Italy ry of the magma from which they formed. As a result, it is 72 Page 2 of 20 Bull Volcanol (2016) 78: 72 possible to link textural observations on rocks with experi- understanding how fast the crystallinity of a trachytic mentally derived data for rates of crystal growth (YL) and magma could change after small variation of pressure. crystal number density (Na) for specific mineral phases and These experiments provide constraints on the P–T condi- the undercooling (ΔT) values of the parental melt. This ap- tions of trachytic to phonolitic melts during their ascent proach makes it possible to obtain information on magmatic to the surface, and we use the results to make interpre- processes and their timescales using textural observation and tations about volcanological and magmatic processes dur- growth rates of crystals (Cashman and Marsh 1988;Brugger ing the Monte Nuovo eruption (1538 AD)intheCampi and Hammer 2010a; Eberl et al. 2002). Flegrei (Southern Italy; Fig. 1). However, there are few studies about crystallization kinetics The Monte Nuovo eruption is particularly interesting be- on trachy-phonolitic melts (e.g., Iezzi et al. 2008;Arzilliand cause it occurred after 3000 years of volcanic quiescence and Carroll 2013). In this study, we present results for 16 new crys- following a period of ground level movements and seismicity tallization experiments on hydrous trachytic melt. These data (as described in historical chronicles; Guidoboni and complement the previous experimental work of Arzilli and Ciuccarelli 2011) that have characteristics comparable to the Carroll (2013) on the same starting composition. We performed recent bradyseisms in the Campi Flegrei area (Parascandola isobaric cooling, isothermal decompression and decompression 1947; Del Gaudio et al. 2010). Constraining the timing of + cooling experiments, investigating experimental durations magma movements in the subsurface shortly before the erup- and P–T conditions not already investigated by Arzilli and tion is a key factor to unraveling the significance of phenom- Carroll (2013). All of the experiments use the single-step meth- ena affecting the Campi Flegrei during volcanic quiescence. od to reproduce the trachytic meltevolutioninresponsetoan Previous textural studies on the Monte Nuovo eruption instantaneously applied thermodynamic driving force (i.e., (D’Oriano et al. 2005;Piochietal.2005)werehamperedby undercooling, ΔT = Tliquidus − Texperimental). In our work, we the lack of crystallization kinetic data for trachytic-phonolitic have not attempted to distinguish between the effects of melt compositions. To constrain the conditions and the time- undercooling (ΔT) at constant pressure and effective scales of magmatic processes, we focus on the crystallization undercooling (ΔTeff), which is caused by decompression at con- kinetics of alkali feldspar in trachytic melts and new crystal stant temperature (Hammer and Rutherford 2002), because it size distribution (CSD) data for groundmass feldspars in the has been shown by Shea and Hammer (2013) and Arzilli and natural samples. This choice, although empirical (Brugger and Carroll (2013) that under the same final temperature and pres- Hammer 2010a; Eberl et al. 2002), is in line with several sure, both processes appear to produce similar nucleation and studies (e.g., Geschwind and Rutherford 1995;Hammerand growth rates. Furthermore, we performed decompression + Rutherford 2002; Couch et al. 2003; Armienti et al. 2007; cooling experiments, in which it is difficult to separate ΔT and Martel 2012) that used crystallization kinetics and CSD of ΔTeff. Adiabatic cooling during magma ascent could be impor- feldspar (mainly plagioclase) to unravel shallow dynamics at tant, but the magnitude of this effect could be partially several calc-alkaline volcanoes. Our new data (including counteracted by the release of latent heat from crystallization potential complications regarding interpretations of natural (La Spina et al. 2015). Decompression + cooling experiments textures, e.g., Brugger and Hammer 2010a;Eberletal. were performed with the goal of studying the crystallization of 2002) provide a quantitative method (in the view of Brugger magma resulting from degassing and adiabatic cooling during and Hammer 2010a) for studying magma dynamics using the ascent. The decompression + cooling experiments also allowed abundant alkali feldspar crystals in the Campi Flegrei system. us to investigate several final pressures and undercoolings that could not be studied by simple isothermal decompression. The experiments were conducted at different pressures Volcanological background and ΔT values to highlight the differences in crystallinity between high and low pressure (and thus melt H2Ocon- The Monte Nuovo eruption tent). The preliminary study of Arzilli and Carroll (2013) focused mainly on the influence of ΔT and time on the The 1538 Monte Nuovo eruption (Fig. 1a–e) was character- nucleation and growth of alkali feldspar. They showed ized by relatively low intensity and magnitude (Di Vito et al. the occurrence of several nucleation events of alkali feld- 1987;D’Oriano et al. 2005; Piochi et al. 2005, 2008). Similar spar in short times (hours), with dominance of nucleation to the majority of volcanic eruptions of the last 14.9 ka BP in at large ΔT. Here we utilize our new experiments and thearea(seeRosietal.1983;DiVitoetal.1999; Isaia et al. those performed by Arzilli and Carroll (2013)toinvesti- 2009), it occurred from a monogenic vent and released gate how crystallization may change as a function of <0.1 km3 of magma (Lirer et al. 1987;RosiandSbrana PH2O (proportional to melt water